Series

Connect With Us

Cutter on Rubio: He’s ‘no savior’ for women

By GLENN THRUSH

02/12/2013 05:42 PM EST

AP Photo

Obama campaign adviser and Democratic strategist Stephanie Cutter was taken ababck by Marco Rubio's vote against the Violence Against Women Act today -- hours before he was set to deliver a high-profile rebuttal to President Obama's State of the Union speech.

"Looks like he's not a savior to women," said Cutter -- referring to Time magazine's cover this week, labeling him the "The Savior" of the GOP. "Regardless of what his future may be, this vote will follow him."

Other Democrats expressed puzzlement that Rubio, one of 22 male senators to vote no on the measure, would open himself to attacks in 2016, with one senior party strategist half-joking that the VAWA vote "would be the first thing Hillary would hit him on at their first debate."

Rubio, in a post-vote statement, expressed support for the original version of the act, but said the reauthorization gave too much control over state and local programs to Obama's Justice Department. The key passage:

Unfortunately, I could not support the final, entire legislation that contains new provisions that could have potentially adverse consequences. Specifically, this bill would mandate the diversion of a portion of funding from domestic violence programs to sexual assault programs, although there’s no evidence to suggest this shift will result in a greater number of convictions. These funding decisions should be left up to the state-based coalitions that understand local needs best, but instead this new legislation would put those decisions into the hands of distant Washington bureaucrats in the Department of Justice. Additionally, I have concerns regarding the conferring of criminal jurisdiction to some Indian tribal governments over all persons in Indian country, including non-Indians.

Still, all 20 women in the Senate -- including conservative GOP fresh(wo)man Deb Fischer of Nebraska -- saw enough virtue in the measure to vote yes.